90FALL ORGANIZATIONS Women Mean Business Women of COBA pursue success and inspire change. IN 2021, STUDENTS walking around the Mabee Business Building might have heard the term “COBA Queens.” Junior accounting major Olivia Scott said that the men in the Paul R. Carter College of Business Administration (COBA) coined the term to refer to the women in the business department. The term “COBA Queens” sparked an inspirational idea for Scott. “The guys thought it was funny to refer to us all as COBA Queens,” Scott said. ”When I heard the term, it gave me the idea to start an actual club for COBA Queens. My inspiration was to start a club for all the women in the business department that could provide a community to share knowledge and insights.” During the spring 2021 semester, business majors Scott, Ashton VanBrunt and McKenzie Elliott created Women of COBA, a club designed to foster relationships between female business majors, provide a unique community, and share knowledge and insights regarding the role of women in the business world. Assistant professor of business and Women of COBA sponsor Sarah McGaha said that the club was an excellent resource for female Harding business students as they prepared to transition into various positions around the globe. “Women of COBA serves to facilitate mentoring, encouragement and networking for women who begin their business careers at Harding,” McGaha said. “This club is an amazing resource for women to learn from those who go before them as they become leaders in their career fields.” Since its launch, the club grew to over 60 members. Women of COBA continued to bring in various guest speakers to discuss important topics related to female success in the corporate world. Some of the topics included dressing for success in business, using a degree to achieve individual career goals, and preparing for the transition from Harding to the business world. VanBrunt said that it was their hope for this club to continue to be a beneficial resource for the women in the Harding business department. “I hope Women of COBA is an uplifting environment that girls can rally behind,” VanBrunt said. “I want Women of COBA to support and encourage girls at Harding to be proud of their major, form deeper friendships and be prepared for life outside of Harding.” WRITTEN BY HAYLEY KATE WEBB “I STARTED MY BUSINESS, Glazed Jewelry, over a year ago and the Waldron Center reached out to me soon after to establish a relationship,” junior integrated marketing communications major Kali Dennis said. “Since then, they have provided me with resources and opportunities as a student business owner. Their pop-up events on campus have introduced me to a lot more customers and always bring a lot of sales. It’s comforting to know I always have a community to refer to when I need.” THE WALDRON CENTER, located on the second floor of the Mabee Business Building, supports student run small businesses through academic training, community/alumni networking, and locating support services in the Searcy area.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTc5NA==